title: Targeted therapy for advanced hepatocellular cancer in the elderly: focus on sorafenib.
abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Worldwide progressive population aging demands consensus development for decision making when treating elderly patients. Age itself might not be a critical determinant for the selection of a therapeutic option. In the past few years, the mechanisms of hepato-carcinogenesis have been elucidated, and the involvement of a number of pathways, including angiogenesis, aberrant signal transduction, and dysregulated cell cycle control, have been demonstrated, leading to evaluation of the activity and toxicity of some of the new molecularly targeted agents. Sorafenib was demonstrated to significantly increase the survival of patients with advanced HCC in two prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Subsequently, a number of retrospective or prospective studies have indicated that the effectiveness of sorafenib therapy in the treatment of HCC is similar in elderly and non-elderly patients. The aim of this review is to describe the impact of age on the effects of sorafenib-targeted therapy in patients with HCC, and the next treatment options with new targeted agents (everolimus, tivantinib, linifanib, etc.).
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, "G. Rummo" Hospital, Via dell'Angelo, 1, 82100, Benevento, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tinessa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barletta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cannella
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daniele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077157:Sorafenib
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib